Serenity
by vampirediva07
Summary: Anna's death has erupted a mountain of emotions within Van Helsing. What will he do in grieving for her? What would happen if she came back? Read and Review. My first VH fic, so please be nice.
1. Missing Her

**A/N: I don't own anything from Van Helsing, but I wish I did. Don't sue me; it's not worth your time because I don't have anything.**

It had been weeks since Anna's death, yet the sting of pain felt as if it happened yesterday to Gabriel Van Helsing. He couldn't sleep without dreaming of her. Her face lingered in his mind every morning when he woke from those dreams. It was as if she was trying to stay with him in his dreams. As much as he wanted to move on with his life, he couldn't bring himself to forget her. For the first time in his life, he felt love for another human being. Just as he realized that love, she was snatched away from him in a cruel twist of fate. Now he was condemned to be alone. Gabriel promised never to love another as long as he lived. He was thinking about Anna one day when Carl barged into the room, as usual, in a fit of confusion.

"Van Helsing, are you still moping around?" he asked, picking up some nearby manuscripts on a table.

"What is it this time, Carl?" Gabriel wearily asked.

"I'm just trying to cheer you up. I haven't seen you crack a smile since before Anna died. She wouldn't want you to just mope around all the time in mourning for her," replied Carl, trying to cheer his friend up.

"Carl, let me ask you something. If you just lost the woman you loved to something you could not control, wouldn't you want to be left alone to mourn?" Gabriel asked, raising his voice to indicate his annoyance.

"Well, yes I would," was Carl's reply as he realized what Van Helsing was trying to say to him.

"Then why are you bothering me with all this nonsense?" Gabriel snapped. "I will stop moping around when I please. Now if you don't mind, I would like to grieve alone. Is that too much to ask?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you cared for her that much, seeing that you never show emotion ever. In that case, I'll leave now and let you grieve. Just remember what I said Van Helsing, Anna wouldn't want you to concentrate all your time on her death," Carl said as he opened the door and walked out of the room, muttering prayers as he went on his way.

In the back of his mind, Gabriel knew that Carl was right. Anna even said herself that Transylvanians always looked on the brighter side of death. When her brother Velkan died, she didn't cry for too long. Gabriel remembered exactly what she had said to him on that day.

"We Transylvanians always look on the brighter side of death. I will see my brother again."

Van Helsing knew that she was with her family now inside the gates of Saint Peter. She had saved her family from eternal damnation in the flames of Hell by killing Dracula. At least now she was at peace, but Van Helsing was not. They had spread her ashes by the sea. She had told him that she had never been to the sea, so he thought it appropriate that he say goodbye at the sea. That day he saw her face in Heaven with her family. Anna looked down on him from above and smiled. He couldn't stop thinking about her eyes and how they were so full of life, he Romanian accent, and her smile. The one thing he regretted most about her death was never telling her that he loved her. Even though he knew that she already knew that he loved her, he would have liked to have told her himself. Now he would never have that chance. It wasn't fair that he had done so much for the church in his lifetime to have something so precious taken from him. In a split second decision, Gabriel decided to talk to God about it. Van Helsing found a window and knelt beside it, facing the incoming light. For the first time in his life, without a priest or anyone nearby forcing him, he began to pray.

"God, it's Gabriel Van Helsing. I'm almost sure that you know who I am. For years now I have been working for your church, ridding the world of the evil that lurks within it. Werewolves, Vampires, and all other creatures of the night I have hunted and killed, all for the sake of your work. Until now I have never asked for anything in my entire life. I beg of you, grant me a favor for the deeds I have done. The one woman I have ever loved is dead. Anna Valerious was her name. She died protecting me from the curse of the Werewolf. I have been so lost and alone without her here. I beg of you, bring her back to me. Please, with all your goodness and mercy, send her back to me. I cannot go on living without her. If you find it in your heart, please bring her back to life. Amen."

By this time, Gabriel was crying. It was the first time since the moment of Anna's death that he shed tears for her. Until now he couldn't and didn't ever know why. He decided that God wouldn't listen to his prayer. Van Helsing collapsed to the floor in defeat after a few minutes. He didn't know what to do with himself other than let go and mourn. Suddenly, the light coming through the window grew brighter. In alarm, Van Helsing pushed himself away from the window in anticipation of something coming through the glass. Instead, out of the white light walked a figure. Gabriel stood up to get a clearer look on the figure coming out of the light. His heart raced insanely as he got closer and closer to that figure in the light coming towards him. The light suddenly dimmed and he realized that it was Anna.

**A/N: So, do you like it thus far? I hope so. Read and Review! **


	2. Anna

Van Helsing stared at Anna in disbelief. It couldn't be her. He had watched her die, saw the life depart from her body. How could she be walking in front of him? Maybe it was a cruel trick God was playing to make him think Anna had come back to him. Could it actually be her? Perhaps God had taken mercy upon him and sent back the only woman he had ever loved. Gabriel decided that the only way to find out is to talk to the woman standing before him.

"Anna?" he asked.

"Van Helsing, where am I?" Anna asked in her Romanian accent.

"This is a monastery. Anna is that really you?" he asked once again.

"Of course it is me. Who else would it be?" she asked.

"Anna, you died weeks ago. I saw your body burning on the pyre by the sea as Carl read the prayers to send your soul to Heaven. When I looked up in the sky, I saw your face in the Heavens with your family," Gabriel rambled.

"I died? How? I don't remember dying or being burned by the sea. What happened Van Helsing?" she asked, confused.

"When we battled Dracula," he began, but was interrupted by Anna.

"Yes, I remember that," she said.

"Well, in order to kill him I had to turn into a Werewolf. I sent you can Carl to find the cure that Dracula kept hidden in his castle," he said.

"I remember that as well," she said.

Van Helsing continued, "In order to prevent full transformation, the cure had to be injected into me before the twelfth stroke of midnight. You ran at me and I hit you, it snapped your neck, but you injected me with the cure. You died instantly."

"Then how am I standing here right now if I died?" she asked.

"I prayed to God that you be sent back to me because I couldn't live without you. I'm guessing he answered my prayer," he replied.

"You prayed for me to be sent back?" she asked.

"Yes, because I lo…I lov…I love you Anna," he stuttered.

"You love me, Van Helsing? I thought you didn't love anybody. Why the sudden change of heart?" she asked, smiling at him.

"There is something about you that I can't explain. Every time I see you or when someone says your name, my heart races," he said.

"In that case, I have a confession to make. I love you. Since the moment you first walked into Transylvania, I knew there was something different about you. You never lied to me about what you were doing there. Even after Velkan was changed into a Werewolf, you showed some compassion for my feelings until I realized that there was no hope for Velkan. You rescued me from the Count at the Masquerade Ball. All that time and I never realized that you loved me. Until we were in Dracula's castle, I never even knew that you cared for me, much less love me. I love you Van Helsing," Anna replied.

"Gabriel," he said, "my name is Gabriel Van Helsing. Call me Gabriel if you would prefer it over just Van Helsing."

"Alright, Gabriel," she said.

They embraced and kissed. Gabriel had dreamed of this moment since her death, when they would be reunited. When they pulled apart, she smiled at him. He picked her up and swung around in a circle. Anna laughed in happiness to be with the one she loved. This moment was full of joy for both Anna and Gabriel as they were together again. Though she did not remember dying, she knew how it affected Gabriel. To see him so happy made her heart melt. However, that moment alone was short lived as Carl barged into the room once more.

"Van Helsing, I'm sorry to bother you again, but we need to talk about your serious lack of…" Carl began to say, but stopped when he saw Anna standing before him. "What in…what…you…and her…and…now what in the hell is going on here? I seriously need to lay off the drinking," he said as he turned to leave the room, but Van Helsing stopped him.

"Carl, you're not hallucinating. Anna is real, she right here," Gabriel said.

"Van Helsing, you need to stop dreaming and wake up to reality. Anna is gone, she's dead and there is nothing you can do to change that."

"Carl, I'm not dead. I'm standing right in front of you," Anna said.

"Man, I really need to lay off the drinks. I thought I just heard Anna speaking," Carl said shaking his head in disbelief.

Van Helsing walked up to Carl and hit him in the back of the head. Carl was unaware of why he did that, but muttered something in Latin under his breath. In his reality, Anna was just a hallucination or figment of his imagination as wall as Van Helsing's. This disbelief continued until Anna walked up to him and hit him on the side of his head like Van Helsing.

"Idiot," she said, her Romanian accent clear as day, "I'm right here in front of you. No, I'm not dead and no I'm not gone."

"Anna?" he asked. "Can it be true?"

"Of course it can be true. Miracles can happen," she replied.

Carl rubbed his eyes to be sure they weren't playing tricks on him. When he opened them again, she was still there standing beside Van Helsing. Nothing had changed. She was the same Anna that she was weeks ago before they battled Dracula. This had to be Anna because Van Helsing was no longer depressed, but smiling. He hadn't cracked a smile since Anna was alive, so this was a reality and not a dream.

"My God, Anna how can this be so?" Carl asked.

"Apparently, Van Helsing prayed that I be returned to life here on Earth," she replied slyly as she pushed on Gabriel's arm.

"WHAT? Van Helsing prayed? God, I couldn't get this man to pray if my life depended on it and he dropped to his knees for a girl?" Carl asked in disbelief.

"So I prayed. Call the Pope if you must. It's not that big of a deal," muttered Van Helsing, as he turned around, obviously blushing.

"I must say that I am proud of you. Obviously, Anna is precious to you so you ask God to bring her back," Carl said in praise of his friend.

"It's not that big of a deal. Besides, I think he owed it to me for all the work I've done in his name all of my life. Never once did I ask for something in return. Now I did because it was important to me. I think of it as fair payment for risking my life going after these creatures of the night. Wouldn't you agree, Carl?" Van Helsing asked.

"You know I can't answer that question. I am a man of the cloth and sworn to serve the Lord all of my life," replied Carl.

"Oh, come on. You and I both know you've done your fair share of cursing and other things not worthy of the cloth," Van Helsing said, winking at Carl.

"Um, I have no earthly clue on what you speak of," Carl replied, his face turning beat red in shame.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Or shall I remind you of that girl in Transylvania?" whispered Van Helsing.

"You knew about her?" Carl asked.

"I know everything, remember?" replied Gabriel with a smirk on his face.

Yes, this was just like old times. Gabriel Van Helsing was himself once more. Picking on Carl and being a general smart elect. All seemed to be perfect and well once more. That is until all hell broke loose.

**A/N: To answer Ardina's question, I got my title from the word itself. It means tranquility or peaceful. This story is dedicated to a friend who died a month ago in a tragic accident. Writing this story brings me peace. Also, Van Helsing needed peace in his life and Anna brought it to him. (I have heard of the movie, on of my best friends loves it.)**


	3. The Assignment

Anna had been alive again for less than a week when problems rose. The Order called Van Helsing to Rome and of course, Carl and Anna accompanied him on the journey. It would take nearly a month to arrive there from the monastery they were living in. However, the journey would be peaceful nonetheless if Van Helsing didn't have to kill Carl for privacy. Luckily, he didn't. Carl respected their privacy as kept to himself studying. Gabriel spent time alone with Anna talking as she gained more of her memory back. Now she remembered running at Van Helsing with the antidote in her hand and him rushing at her. That is the last thing she remembered. Gabriel Van Helsing still felt guilty for killing her, whether he was a Werewolf or not, it didn't matter to him.

"Anna," he said, "I didn't mean to hurt you. If I could have prevented it, could've spared you, I would have."

"Gabriel," she replied, "that doesn't matter. I know you couldn't control your animal instincts. Besides, I'm here now and that's all that matters."

"I know and I thank God for it everyday," he said, kissing Anna's forehead and pulling her close to him.

* * *

When they arrived in Rome, Priest John Paul greeted them. He was to take them to the Bishops immediately for a meeting of some sort in a church down the road. Once they were in the church, they were escorted to a room where a few Bishops were waiting to receive them.

"Welcome Gabriel Van Helsing," one of the Bishops stated as they walked into the room and were seated. He noticed Anna and in shock said, "Princess Anna Valerious? We thought you had died."

"It's a long story," Van Helsing replied. "Can someone tell me why I have been summoned all the way to Rome?"

"Yes, we can explain that to you. The Pope has called you here for a reason. He has heard of your unnatural ability to rid the world of evil. Count Dracula had been around for hundreds of years, no one was able to kill him, and you killed him in a matter of days. For that, the Pope has taken special interest in you. He needs you to go out on a mission," said the Bishop.

"What kind of mission?" asked Van Helsing.

"Two of Dracula's children, twins, miraculously survived one of the experiments he was trying. Now they are full grown and reeking havoc all over Transylvania," the Bishop said.

"How could they survive those experiments and Dracula's death? The legend stated that once Dracula died, everything in his blood line would follow him to the grave," Anna stated.

"We do not know. All we know is that these children are more powerful than Dracula himself. Their powers are lethal to all who have tried to exterminate them in the past few weeks. That is why the Pope seeks your help, Van Helsing. He wishes you to go to Transylvania and rid them of this problem," the Bishop replied.

"I will go on one condition," Van Helsing said.

"What is that?" the Bishop asked.

"That after this mission, you will leave me alone and let me live my life normally for once. Did it not occur to you that I might like to get married and have a family one day?" Van Helsing asked while glancing back at Anna.

"You have a gift, Van Helsing. God has given you this gift for a reason and that reason is to serve him. You cannot deny it," another Bishop said.

"THAT GIFT ALMOST COST ME THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!" Van Helsing yelled at the Bishops, his chest was heaving in anger. Anna got up and grabbed Van Helsing's hand.

"It's alright," she whispered in his ear, "I'm right here and you're not going to lose me again."

Van Helsing calmed down and said to the Bishops, "Do we have a deal? My service for freedom from this life."

The Bishops gathered together to discuss and whisper amongst themselves for a moment before coming to a conclusion. One Bishop stood and said, "Gabriel Van Helsing, we have agreed on the conditions that you have set forth. Now, go and let God guide your ways."

Once they were outside again, Anna stopped Van Helsing in his tracks. She looked him in the eyes and asked, " So you want to have a family with me?"

"Yes," he replied, "I do want to have a family with you. You can't be the last in the Valerious line."

Anna smiled at him and knew that he was being cocky. This was too much like him, but she did believe that he truly loved her and wanted to have a family with her. That would have to wait until after this mission back to Transylvania, a place of memories. Every member of her family had died there. Her father, mother, and brother, Velkan all died there at the hands of Count Dracula. It was going to be a painful place to go, but she had to in order to help Van Helsing rid them of the new vampires. God, she hated vampires with a passion. So, the three of them set out for Transylvania to face the new evil that had risen there.

* * *

For another month and a half they were traveling to reach Transylvania. Even though it was a slightly longer trip than the last, it was still as peaceful. Anna stayed by Gabriel's side and they shared many nights under the moonlit sky together. At times she would talk with Carl about some myth he found in his texts, but mostly she stayed by Gabriel and talked with him. They traveled in many ways from ship to horseback. All were relaxing and familiar to Anna. When she was a child she begged her father to teach her how to ride a horse. At ten years old, her father finally taught her how. It was one of the happier times in Anna's life, before her mother's death and father's disappearance. These memories clouded Anna's thoughts as they became closer to Transylvania.

"Are you alright?" Van Helsing asked with concern.

"I'm fine, just thinking about my family," she replied.

"Oh, I see. Is it painful for you to come back to Transylvania after such a short period of time?" he asked.

"No, it will be good for me to go back to my house. After all, it belongs to me alone now since my brother died and he was the older of the two of us," she replied.

"What will you do with the house now?" Carl asked, butting into their conversation about going back.

"I don't know. I suppose I should keep it in the family since it is my family mansion. Maybe one day I will live in it with a family of my own," she said, winking at Van Helsing beside her.

"Ah, well we should be getting close now to Transylvania. I see the snow topped mountains up ahead," Carl said.

In deed they were close to Transylvania, less than half a day's travel left and they would be inside the city. They didn't know what to expect when they arrived, but they carried on nonetheless until they reached the city's outer limits. The scene they arrived to was less than welcoming to anyone, especially them.

**A/N: So, are you liking the story so far? Let me know and review. There are some new characters going to be introduced in the next chapter. Thank you for the reviews that you've already submitted. I appreciate them so much! **


	4. Welcome To Transylvania

Carl, Van Helsing, and Anna looked around Transylvania to see bodies lying everywhere like a battleground. Upon closer inspection of the bodies, they discovered that Vampires had attacked them. Luckily, it was during the day and the sun was shining, so the Vampires who had attacked were not around. Van Helsing and Anna made their way through the bodies to the nearest building to check for survivors. Carl nervously followed, fearing a body might spring up and attack him at any moment.

"Uh, Van Helsing wait for me!" he exclaimed nervously as he followed behind them towards the building.

"Hurry up Carl," Gabriel replied.

They entered the building to find it abandoned. Chairs were overturned and tables were broken as if a fight had ensued earlier. Anna grazed the broken tabletops with her fingers. They were rough to her hands. Van Helsing went to the other side of the room to further investigate what might have happened there. Anna continued looking around the tables until she heard a muffled cry come from behind a turned over table. Slowly, she walked over to the table and looked around it to find a small child curled up in a blanket crying in fear. Once she saw the child was harmless, she bent down next to it and saw that it was a little girl.

"Gabriel," she called out across the room, "come here, I've found something."

Van Helsing came running over from the other side of the room. He stopped and bent down beside her to see that she had found a child. For a moment, Van Helsing was speechless at the sight. After a moment, his common senses took over.

"Is it alright?" he asked as Anna turned to talk to him.

"I think she is going to be fine, she's just frightened is all. Let me see if I can get her to say anything to me. She looks to be about six years old, so most likely she knows how to talk," Anna replied, turning back around to the child. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked sweetly to the trembling child.

"Sophie," she whispered and began to cry. "Mama and Papa won't wake up. Why won't they wake up?"

"I'm so sorry Sophie," Anna said, "your mama and papa have gone to heaven."

Sophie began to cry even harder and Anna pulled the little girl into her arms for comfort. She understood what it was like to lose parents. After a while, Sophie's sobs subsided and she fell asleep out of exhaustion. Anna rocked her quietly in her arms while Van Helsing stood nearby, attempting to make a plan before nightfall.

Once he had formulated one, he walked over to Anna to talk with her about his plan. She was still holding Sophie in her arms. Before he could get a word in edgewise, Anna cut him off.

"Gabriel, what are we going to do about Sophie? Her family was killed and she has no one to go to. Could she stay with us?" Anna asked, genuinely concerned.

"I don't know if that would be a good idea. Having to protect a child in addition to ourselves and the genius Carl over there, that could end badly," Van Helsing replied as nicely as he possibly could.

"What are we going to do, leave her here? I don't think so. She's an innocent child that has lost her parents. I know what she feels like and I'm not about to let her think that the whole world has abandoned her as well. We're taking her with us and that is final," she said sternly to Van Helsing.

"Fine, but we're going to have to find a safe place to hide until we can figure out what to do with a child with us. I had a plan, but it didn't involve a child," he said, obviously frustrated.

"Now it does. What if we go to the Valerious mansion?" Anna suggested.

"That might work. The Vampires all think that you're dead, so it would be untouched and not bothered. We could not light candles at night, but we would be safe there with the child. Let's get there before nightfall," Van Helsing replied.

Gently, Van Helsing picked up Sophie from Anna's arms. As they walked out the door, Anna tapped Carl on the head to wake him up because he had fallen asleep.

"Huh? What? Where are we going now?" Carl asked groggily as he got up.

"To the Valerious mansion, where we will be safe with Sophie," Anna replied quickly as they walked out the door.

"Sophie? Who the hell is Sophie?" Carl asked as they continued walking.

"A little girl with no family that we're taking with us. We're going to protect her. Carl, don't talk to her. She's been through enough without having to listen to you ramble," Anna said.

"Van Helsing, did you hear what she said to me?" Carl asked in frustration.

"Yes, and I agree with her. You stay away from the kid and don't talk to her," Van Helsing replied to Carl.

Carl stomped ahead in anger. He hated when they ganged up on him. It made him feel like the odd one out. Van Helsing and Anna had their little romance going on and he had no one. Now he couldn't even talk to the child that they were bringing along. The frustration mounted within him, but he still said nothing else. Eventually he would get over it as he always did, but for now he would pout.

* * *

When they reached the mansion, it was abandoned exactly as Van Helsing thought it would be. Anna opened the door for them to go in. Once inside, memories flooded back to Anna of her childhood when she and Velkan would run down the halls chasing one another. Another, more disturbing, memory came to mind of Velkan turning into a Werewolf before her eyes in the house. It caused a small tear to fall down her cheek. Van Helsing caught sight of it.

"Is it too painful for you to be here in this house?" he asked in concern.

"No, besides it's the safest place to bring Sophie. I was just thinking about my brother when we were children here," Anna replied, wiping the tear away.

"As long as you're alright with us staying here, we'll stay," Gabriel said.

"It's fine. I will be fine. I'll show you where you can lay Sophie down for the night and I'll stay with her just in case she wakes up," Anna said.

Anna led Gabriel down a hall to a room. She opened the door to reveal a small girl's room. Toys were scattered along the walls and there was a bed with pink quilts on top. As Van Helsing laid Sophie down, Anna pulled the covers over Sophie's tiny frame so she wouldn't freeze.

"This was my room when I was a child. I think it will do nicely for her to stay in here where there are things for her to play with," Anna said.

"Of course. I remember the room I stayed in last time, so I'll stay the night there and I'm sure Carl knows where to go. Good night, Anna," he said.

"Good night," she said, pulling him back for a kiss.

* * *

Van Helsing went to his room for the night and Anna stayed with Sophie. A few hours later, Sophie woke up and panicked. She cried out for her mother and Anna sat beside her on the bed. Once Sophie felt a presence in the bed beside her, she immediately calmed down to sleep again. Lovingly, Anna smoothed back Sophie's hair from her face. Sophie snuggled next to Anna.

"Mama," she whimpered in her sleep.

Anna felt compassion for little Sophie. In her heart she had already decided that she would become Sophie's new mother and care for her. No child should have to grow up without a mother and Anna knew that all to well. Softly, she kissed Sophie on the forehead to soothe her back to sleep. Though she didn't know it, Van Helsing was watching her from the door.

**

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took me a few days to post this. I haven't been home because we're remodeling our bathroom, so I had to go elsewhere to have access to a shower and such. Forgive me and review nicely. )**


	5. Maternal Instincts

The first night went peacefully in the Valerious mansion. Sophie woke a few more times during the night, but Anna was right there to comfort and soothe her back to sleep. Van Helsing watched from the door in wonder and amazement. When he first met Anna, she was all about killing Dracula and avenging her family. Now, she was caring for an innocent child with the utmost love and tenderness he had ever seen her show. Indeed, he did like this softer side of Anna, but he knew that at any moment the child's life or hers was threatened, she would become the Anna he first met and fell in love with. He loved her with all of his heart. Everything from her wit to her Romanian accent drove him wild. For the rest of the night, he stood there and watched Anna.

A few times his eyes shifted to Sophie, the child they had taken in, and wondered if he was ready to take on a child. Already, he knew that Anna would want to adopt her into her family and take care of her. Inwardly, he debated with himself whether he should become a father to this child since her family was murdered. Ultimately, he decided that both himself and Sophie would benefit from him becoming a father to her.

* * *

The next morning, Anna woke to find Sophie not lying next to her. A feeling of panic rose within her chest, but soon subsided when she saw the child playing with her dollhouse on the floor. Anna remembered that dollhouse from when she was a child herself. Her father had made it for her when she was about seven years old as a birthday gift. It was one of her most treasured possessions. After watching Sophie play for a few minutes, she bent down beside the child.

"You know, my father made this for me when I was a child," she said picking up one of the dolls near Sophie's feet and placing it in the house.

"Really?" asked Sophie.

"Yes, it was a birthday present from him and my mother," Anna replied.

"My papa was going to make me one," Sophie said sadly. "Then they came and took him and my mama away from me."

"Who took them away?" Anna asked curiously.

"The Vampires, Kierra and Aliana," answered Sophie.

"I see," Anna replied.

"Are they going to come and hurt me too?" asked Sophie in fear.

"Not as long as I'm around. You are safe with me," Anna declared.

Sophie pulled herself closer to Anna and hugged her. Anna knew that she had to protect this little girl. Already she felt strong maternal instincts within her and a bond with the child. Though she had not mentioned it to Sophie, Anna intended to make Sophie a Valerious when she was ready. When Anna lost her family, she was never given the chance to have another with parents. Now, she wanted Sophie to have that chance. After a few more minutes, Anna decided to find Van Helsing. Sophie became alarmed when she started to leave the room.

"It's alright, I will be back. I'm just going to find Gabriel to talk with him. Stay here and keep playing," Anna said to reassure Sophie and calm her down.

* * *

Anna ran down the hall Van Helsing's room. Softly, she knocked on the door and he answered. For a moment he looked shocked to see Anna standing in his doorway, but his facial expression softened and allowed her in the room.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No, I just thought I would come and visit you. I was playing with Sophie and realized something," Anna replied.

"What is that?" he asked curiously.

"Now that she has no family, she is an orphan. After spending time with her, I've decided that I want to adopt her as my own and make her a Valerious. No child should ever be alone; I know that truth from experience. I just want her to have a…"

Anna's words were cut short by the piercing screams of a child and the cackles of two Vampires. Both Anna and Gabriel sprinted down the hall back to Anna's room to find Sophie unconscious in Kierra's arms.

"Hello, princess," sneered Aliana, "you wouldn't mind if we took her for a while, now would you?"

"Actually, I would. Why are you taking her? She is an innocent child," Anna snapped.

"You took something important from us, now we take the most important thing to you," said Kierra.

"What did I take from you, I don't even know you!" exclaimed Anna.

"Dear princess, do you not remember how you drove a silver stake through our mother, Aleera's heart?" Aliana asked.

"She deserved it many times over. What has this child ever done wrong? You've killed her parents and now you're going to take her," Anna shouted.

"Yes, we are," Kierra said as they flew through the window.

Anna ran at them and tried to grab their feet, but missed. In an instant, a stream of guilt hit Anna full force and she became increasingly frustrated. Van Helsing stepped forward and tried to console her, but she pushed him away.

"I promised her," she cried, "I promised her that she would be safe with me. Now, those monsters from hell have kidnapped her and I couldn't do a thing to protect her. She's probably somewhere far from here, frightened and alone."

"We'll get her back, I promise we will. First we need to find out if they are living in Castle Frankenstein or their father's old castle," he said, resting his hands on her shoulders to calm Anna down. "Carl!"

Carl came running in the room, confused and puzzled.

"I heard a commotion in here, is everything alright?" he asked.

"Vampires have taken Sophie. We're going after her, but we need supplies," Van Helsing explained quickly.

"How could they come out in the middle of the day?" Carl asked.

"They had cloud cover from the sun," Anna said, "Now get things ready, we're leaving by sundown."

**

* * *

A/N: So, another chapter finished. How did you like Kierra and Aliana? Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. Sorry I haven't updated in a few days, I've been super busy. Well, until next time.**


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